Business & Corporate

AV Enhances Customer Experience for Outdoor Living Retailer

The Werd Company Makes AV Shine as an Intrinsic, True-to-Life Element of the YETI Shopping Environment here AV in retail was once an afterthought, there is no question now that AV is a W fundamental part of the customer experience. The technologies used inside stores today are positioned to engage rather than simply promote, and drive greater interactivity between the business and the shopper.

More than ever, the AV systems integrator makes a difference in how AV technology is deployed to serve the broader customer experience. The Werd Company is one such integration firm that specializes in AV integration for retail spaces, and adds greater value through its experience in live event production.

A recent project with the YETI retail store in Chicago highlights that overall value proposition, with The Werd Company providing comprehensive systems AV design and integration services for the 4900-square-foot store. In addition to in-store AV and digital signage, The Werd Company also designed a live sound and lighting system to support live events.

“We started working with YETI about five years ago in Austin, providing live production services for , living products, drinkware, coolers). The completed broadcasts, and other events,” said Drew Dunavan, installation is something of a hybrid AV system that Chief of Operations at The Werd Company. “That brings together legacy and IP-networked technologies, relationship evolved as they started to open retail but leans heavily on the latter. stores around the nation, but brought with it a unique approach to commercial AV design with roots in the The IP ecosystem incorporates virtually all audio creative events world. The Chicago store is an excellent and control elements on campus, including Atlona’s example of an AV system that can serve their retail Velocity AV control platform, Audinate’s Dante for multi- purposes, and provide live event support for concerts, channel audio networking, and a Symetrix Prism DSP. product launches or special in-store screenings.” The latter integrates with Dante to implement, control and maintain a system of networked accessories The Wicker Park neighborhood store, which opened on within the store and the area, including September 29, 2019, certainly embraces AV as a way , , power and to promote YETI’s broad product inventory (outdoor mixing consoles. The video side brings together systems with a mix of IP, HDBaseT and HDMI “The Chicago store is an excellent example of an AV technologies, along with a 3x3 video wall system that can serve their retail purposes, and provide that YETI employees live event support for concerts, product launches or can locally control. special in-store film screenings.” Additionally, Werd engineers and support – Drew Dunavan, Chief of Operations at The Werd Company team can remotely access all elements of the house and event

Atlona - Yeti Chicago - 2 AV system, as well as three digital signage displays to and horizontal lacing bars for wire management. CAT6 manage playlists and update content. patch panels distribute discrete, segregated network connectivity to Ubiquiti’s UniFi system driven by their “We integrated the video matrix wall in this space along USG-Pro4 gateway, and US-24-500W 24-port switches that with a backdrop, and added a full lighting rig and securely connect the AV network to YETI’s IT infrastructure. PA system,” said Dunavan. “Everything is plug-and-play ready so that they are immediately ready to go for bands, The remaining rack infrastructure includes a Luxul AV screenings and promotional events.” Series AMS-1816 managed switch for managing video transmission, as well as three Dante-enabled Crown Audio Getting In Early Streamlines Design DCi amplifiers for multi-zone audio.

The ground-up project meant that The Werd Company “The Luxul switch was configured specifically for the was entrenched in the earliest conceptual design phases, video matrix wall,” said Ramzanali. “The 18-port switch working closely with Lake Flato, the architectural firm; and configuration provides us with extreme flexibility to send Manito Construction, the prime contractor. Early work included plotting and submitting a low-voltage plan that encompassed all low-voltage wiring needs and locations, wallplates, and placement of loudspeakers, displays and “The JunoX and HDVS are HDBaseT supporting AV components. This technical detailing was switchers that integrate seamlessly led by partner and CEO of Werd, Ali Ramzanali. with the Velocity IP gateway,” said “Being the low-voltage management partner meant Ramzanali. “The JunoX can switch that we were heavily involved in the IT network design, between the YETI Presents playlist and facilitating all components of the underlying Layer 1 infrastructure,” said Ramzanali. “We worked closely with the input, a DirecTV live signal, other trades across security, shopper tracking, structured and two auxiliary inputs from the cable planning with CPS, and YETI’s own IT department for Wi-Fi and point of sales systems, to formulate the logistics HDVS wallplate. Using Velocity of implementation.” control, we can direct which input goes to which display by simply As is increasingly standard, AV and IT systems were co-located in the same space. Dunavan and his team pressing the button.” consolidated core AV systems, including the Prism DSP and remote management PC, into a standalone MSTR -Ali Ramzanali, CEO of The Werd Company RACK ER42 – a 42-inch enclosed rack with active cooling

Atlona - Yeti Chicago - 3 modular content formats to the LG 55-inch displays. The “The JunoX and HDVS are HDBaseT switchers that Crowns amplify the audio signals from the video wall integrate seamlessly with the Velocity IP gateway,” said sources over Dante to 70-volt JBL Control series speakers Ramzanali. “The JunoX can switch between the YETI for daily delivery of background and foreground music.” Presents playlist input, a DirecTV live television signal, and two auxiliary inputs from the HDVS wallplate. Using Atlona’s Velocity VGW-HW IP-based control processor Velocity control, we can direct which input goes to which is the final rack component, and arguably the most display by simply pressing the button.” important as it touches nearly every component in the system – a mix of HDBaseT switching and IP routing The YETI Presents content was the “primary driver” for equipment that manages 4K or HD content for the video creating the video wall, according to Dunavan. The wall. playlists are composed entirely of YETI-produced content created to promote the brand, including short , documentary mini-series, and short promotional pieces that include product overviews. The Werd Company works closely with the marketing team and other departments to manage content scheduling and distribution once production is completed.

“Most of the YETI Presents content that lives on this wall exists in rotating playlists that are scheduled in loops,” said Dunavan. “They give us the content and we ensure that it is properly formatted before building the playlists and schedules. We maintain the digital infrastructure throughout, although they can manually override our schedules if they are staging an event, or want to switch over to DirecTV for the Chicago Bears game. This is all part of The Werd Company’s continued support services, which have proven especially popular in retail environments.”

The Werd Company also maintains the digital signage content and infrastructure, which includes three 43- inch LG screens mounted in portrait mode. These screens represent the ambassador wall; a set of carefully calibrated, picturesque displays featuring YETI’s brand ambassadors in their respective elements. A Raspberry 3 Model B+ single board computer supports digital signage content playback. The video wall architecture includes a JunoX 451 HDBaseT switcher, which is used to switch between four video Unlike the video matrix wall, local staff cannot override sources. Once selected, the signal moves into an AV over content on the ambassador screens. “More than the video IP system powered through the Luxul switch. That switch wall, these screens represent the spirit and nature of the feeds nine AV over IP receivers, each of which is dedicated YETI brand,” said Dunavan. “The ambassadors will move to one display in the 3x3 video wall. every few minutes and occasionally look at the camera before resuming as a still image. The dynamics capture The video wall can translate a single 12-foot wide, seven- shopper attention, so it’s important to maintain those foot high image over all nine displays, or separate images visuals. Therefore, everything is scheduled, monitored, for different displays. An Atlona single-gang, dual-HDMI and executed remotely for YETI through our subscription wallplate (AT-HDVS-210H-TX-WP) provides auxiliary inputs model.” for the same wall, allowing staff to present content from standalone devices.

Atlona - Yeti Chicago - 4 Off-site Preparation touchscreen is installed in the manager’s office and remotely powered over Ethernet, like many of the Most of the system programming was managed through components living on the IP network. The VTP-800 is Velocity and Symetrix. programmed to control three individual zones: the retail zone, the YETI Presents zone, and the stage. “The programming was mostly done in advance from our Austin, Texas headquarters,” said Ramzanali. “We “The manager can easily switch between different input assembled the skeleton of the system, mapped the signal options using the Velocity panel, and even create a flow into the software, and programmed the devices as if primary zone,” said Dunavan. “Each zone has a dedicated they were already installed.” set of selectable inputs, and there is volume control for individual zones. It’s also very easy to serve ambient music That preparational programming, along with the reduced for the entire store, or use the input to make architecture that IP offers, helped to keep labor costs announcements.” manageable for all parties. Since all audio moves over Dante, there is essentially no “Man hours and cable management make a big difference limit to where staff can send audio content. That includes to the bottom line,” said Dunavan. “We can be much more the video matrix wall, where they often localize audio for efficient with IP, as we can easily install systems in spaces film screens. that are challenging to access. IP removes the physical constraints and the point-to-point limitations that we “We have multiple audio inputs for that wall that especially see with audio and control.” automatically plays over the local JBL loudspeakers, and simultaneously be pushed across the retail floor,” said Ramzanali notes that Velocity has been especially valuable Ramzanali. “The Dante network gives us all the flexibility from a capacity perspective. “We’re already moving a lot we need to route audio signals and process them through of data over Velocity, and we are only at approximately 60 Symetrix. We can easily assign speakers to specific zones, percent capacity,” said Ramzanali. “There is plenty of room and establish our gain structure, EQ and compression to scale, as this IP gateway can manage up to 250 devices. within the DSP, and set limited control parameters using The benefits also extend to the end user through an Velocity for safety, and ease-of-use. Just as Velocity does intuitive touch-based matrix that is easy to learn and use.” for control, Dante streamlines and simplifies our audio.”

An Atlona Velocity VTP-800 8-inch touchscreen supports The integration team also added a Dante-cored Attero the end-user portion of the control architecture. The Tech unD3IO for audio support. This is a multi-I/O audio

Atlona - Yeti Chicago - 5 interface mainly used for “single mic setups” or DJ inputs components. It’s just a very simple and reliable audio on-stage. The Attero Tech wallplate further simplified interface that touches every part of the audio system, integration by allowing installers to add traditional RCA including the stage.” and XLR input connections while only requiring a single CAT6 cable run. Beyond the X32 mixer, the event system’s audio technology touts a dbTechnologies PA system with “The Attero Tech wallplate can have up to four different VIO-X12 active two-way loudspeakers, LVX-XM-12 two- audio I/O connections,” said Ramzanali. “Before Dante, that way active stage monitors, and an AMS-SUB-15H active would have meant running three or four individual lines . A dbTechnologies RDNet Control 2 system to that wall box, terminating them, and then working enables Werd’s engineers to configure the suspended through other challenges that come from the mixing of powered speakers without a cherry picker, while a small balanced and unbalanced connections. Dante removes all arsenal of Shure SM57 and Sennheiser e600, e609 and that. We just run a single line, and tell Symetrix what their e935 microphones capture vocals and instruments from gain structures are, and set scenes to modify the signal . Elite Core provides the stagebox and route.” microphone cables to support the entire system, along with cables and connectors for the Chauvet DJ lighting The Symetrix DSP integrates the different audio sources system. for both the inputs and outs, according to Ali. “We used Attero Tech to provide a variety of solutions for any audio “The Chauvet lighting console controls a line of 18x18w sources that required a physical analog input. When the LED PAR fixtures over DMX, and they are generally run in space is modified for events, those same audio inputs tandem with audio mixed at the Behringer,” said Dunavan. can be re-routed to the Dante card of a Behringer X32 “The entire stage system has all of the breakouts required PRODUCER digital audio console, and act as a stage snake,” for a live sound professional to mix the band or produce a said Ramzanali. “It’s incredible to have Velocity’s control live broadcast.” system talk to Symetrix to instantaneously reconfigure a workflow that - only a few years ago - would have For the team at The Werd Company, the YETI Chicago required lots of time, unplugging, re-plugging, and cable retail store is a model representation of where retail wrapping.” AV integration is headed while also retaining unique flourishes. Ali also noted that the Behringer desk audio feed can also be sent to the entire store by running it through the same “Chicago is a city that embraces sports and music nearly Ethernet cable via the Dante card with nearly zero latency. equally, so it was critical to have that big video wall to show home team games, and design a stage that touring Like Velocity, The Werd Company selected the Symetrix artists and their fans can appreciate,” said Dunavan. “Both Prism in large part for its scalability. of these strategies have helped the Chicago store truly integrate with their clientele and provide a space where “An important part of any successful AV installation is they can see and touch their products while enjoying the having the foresight and ability to expand for future usage vibe. It is a place where local shoppers can hang out and or technology upgrades,” said Dunavan. “The Prism system absorb the YETI retail experience in an engaging manner.” is expandable, and integrates very well with third-party

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Atlona - Yeti Chicago - 6 SELECT FEATURED PRODUCTS

MODEL DESCRIPTION

The Atlona VGW-HWs are Velocity™ System hardware server gateways that provide multiple rooms of IP-based AV control and room scheduling. Each AT-VGW-HW gateway also includes the Atlona Management System (AMS) for configuring and managing Atlona devices over the network, BYOD control at no extra cost, and Velocity Cloud Lite remote management.

The Atlona VTP-800 is a Velocity System 8" touch panel for AV control and room scheduling. It features contemporary, refined styling for modern VTP-800 presentation environments with 1280×800 native resolution, and a capacitive glass surface that supports multi-touch and gesture interactions.

The Atlona JunoX™ 451 HDBT is a 4×1 switcher for high dynamic range (HDR) formats. Part of the comprehensive family of Atlona 4K HDR integration products, it features three HDMI inputs, plus an AT-JUNO-451-HDBT HDBaseT input for receiving video, embedded audio, and Ethernet over distances up to 330 feet (100 meters). It is HDCP 2.2 compliant and supports 4K/ UHD video @ 60 Hz with 4:4:4 chroma sampling, as well as HDMI data rates up to 18 Gbps.

The Atlona AT-HDVS-210H-TX-WP is a 2×1 switcher and HDBaseT transmitter with two HDMI inputs. It features a US one-gang, Decora-style AT-HDVS-210H-TX-WP wallplate form factor. Video signals up to 4K/ UHD @ 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, plus embedded audio and control can be transmitted up to 330 feet (100 meters).

70 Daggett Drive, San Jose, CA USA 95134 | Telephone: +1.408.962.0515 | International:+41.43.508.4321 | www.atlona.com

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